Ooops - I did it again!

A few years ago, my parentsw participated in our Church's Anniversary Mass. It is a mass vow renewal for couples celebrating 10th, 25th, 40th and 50th anniversaries. Todd thought it was cool and suggested we should do it for our 10th and at the time I agreed.

Well, year #9 has been a really rough one. At one point I found myself holding the business card of a divorce lawyer. I wont get into specifics, but things needed to change. Luckily (for him) they did and now we are able to work through the rest of the issues. Things aren't perfect, but we're human and therefore imperfect. Marriage is a constant effort, but now I find myself wanting to work at it again.

As our actual anniversary approaches (May 22), we are re-learning who we both are and how our relationship works. What better way to make a fresh start than to renew our vows?

See my shawl? Yeah.. I finished it in time! I started it last June and it got tossed in a corner as the shit hit the fan. Once it became clear that things were changing for the better, I pulled it out and got back to work on it. I finished it at 2am - the ceremony was at 11! I really like how it came out.

I took this photo in the garden mom planted in her yard for my wedding pictures.

Here are some detail shots. The lace blocks are Lillies of the Valley and Heather - both of which were in my wedding boquet. I also crocheted some beads on the hem to give it some weight at the ends.

Knit Two

I was pretty anxious to read Knit Two after I finished The Friday Night Knitting Club. I did enjoy it, but honestly, I didn't think it was nearly as good as the first book. I found it a bit disconnected. The ladies have lost the tie that bound them together - the club. sure, they still meet, but, it is no longer binding them.

The ending was all tied up in a neat little bow, which I think a lot of the readers were disappointed in the first book. I prefer an ending that keps me thinking about the book - and talking about it.

The part that lost me was when Darwin went into the restroom to breastfeed her babies. Seriously??? A feminist. A professor of women's studies. and she is feeding her babies in a public bathroom??? I realize that she became far more "domestic" following the birth of her babies, but, that is SO far out of charachter - not to mention nasty and just plain wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. It was a good read, but not as good as the first.

Ode to My Brother

It was his sisters he liked to harass
That is how he earned the nickname Tom-ass

To lofty goals in school he did aspire
That was until he set his pants on fire!

Kid sister grew up and get her degree
Now, guess who works for me?

A passer-by inquired "are you drilling for oil?"
I laughed as his blood began to boil!

He is son, brother friend, husband and dad
For him we all are glad

Most of all I'm glad you're older than me
Especially now that you are turning 40!

Happy Birthday Tom!

Yes, I still knit.

Remember Tubey? Well, it's done!

Check out the cuff/hem detail. I did a single crochet BO in the lighter Rose color then another round of reverse single crochet. I really like the finish of the edge - and it is a nice streachy BO.


If you've been keeping track, then you know how I feel about having a stash of yarn. I also like wearing this sweater with a grey skirt. So, I am making a matching pair of socks.



I've actually turned the heels and started the cuff. soon, I'll add the stripes. I'm thinking of doing the same BO on the socks as well. More on those soon, but they are on the back burner as I finish the anniversary stole (more on that when it's done).

Something for Me

This another Town Purse with a Wonder Wallet to match. The purse pattern includes the eye glass case. All three patterns are fun and very simple. I've made them before and I'm sure I'll do it again.

The fabrics came from a Fat Quarter bundle. I lined it in muslin - I find it easier to find things inside my purse than with a patterned print.

I did modify the WW a bit. I omited the inner coin pocket and made an outer zippered coin pocket. I added a box pleat since I always seem to have about $5 in pennies.

TGIF- 3/13

• FAITH
• patience
• new "friends"
• needle and thread
• yarn and sticks
• things to hit
• friends to hit them with
• books
• sanity

Fiber Engineering

What happens when an engineer gets laid off and takes up quilting?




It is a schematic site plan drafted in fabric and thread. The site is completely ficticious. The Plan is highly schematic - no real details or measurements. The quilting serves as the "hatching" in the plan.

I was inspired by the old (and I do mean OLD) linnen drawings. They are worna nd frayed on the edges, rumpled and worn - but still quite readable! I just love the marriage of engineering and fabric.

The color scheme is borrowed from the more modern (but still obsolete) blue prints. The entire quilt is in shades of blues and white.

The style of the "drawing" is a modern one - like I may do in AutoCAD. Complete with project notes, north arrow and graphic scale.

The quilters I've showed it to scratch thier heads adn critique my poor applique skills - which was actually a deliberate design decision. Contractors, engineers and others in the biz have had quite a different "that is so effin cool!" reaction.

For now it hangs in my sewing room - soon it'll be in my new office.

More sewing and some knitting still to come!

Doing not Blogging

Now I suppose I need to blog about what I've done. I'll spread it out over a couple posts for suspense. You're welcome!

One of the "upsides" of being unemployed is that I actually get to attend the meetings for the quilt guild I belong to. I have to say that living in a house full of men (big and small) then sitting in a room with 200 women is more than a little culture shock! They are a great bunch of ladies though. So kind and a wealth of information. I also got roped into (OK - I volunteered) handling the raffle tickets for a quilt the guild is putting together. the drawing is to be at the show (4/2010) and the two are our biggest fundraisers. Mom is chairing the committee putting the quilt together - so there is cerainly more to come on that one!

We donate a lot of the money from the raffle and the show to local charities and we use a bit to buy supplies to make "comfort quilts". A few years back, one of our members got a call from Paul Newman. He asked if ther guild would be interested in making some quilts for his Hole in the Wall Camp here in CT. When the kids need to go to the infirmary, they are wrapped in hand made quilts and if they should need to go to the hospital, then their quilt will go too. Would you say no to Paul Newman? Neither did she or the guild.

To that end, we had a workshop/sew-in last month. we brought our machines to a church basement and grabbed our kits and went to work. I got my entire top pieced that day and it was completely done, bound and ready to go in three days!

Derby Days!

Pinewood Derby time! Ryan placed 3rd in the Tigers' Den.

He was quite proud of himself! He should be! He made his car by himself! Well, one of the dads carved the blocks into car shapes that the kids picked.

Andy didn't place in his Den, but you know what? He is very proud of his vampire car - which he also made himself!

Killer book

This was a bit more of an intellectual read than Heroin Diaries, but a fascinating book indeed. It takes an in-depth look at the marketing and development of the drug as well as the spread of its devastating addiction and the movement to fight it.

What astounds me is that pain experts and the drug maker themselves honestly believed (initially anyway) that OxyContin wouldn't be appealing to addicts - even non-addicting due to its time-release properties. They even went so far as to say that the pills could not be crushed or injected. They later changed their tune on that one. Millions of people have proven that one wrong.

What I still can't comprehend is how people slept at night knowing that their drugs were destroying lives and killing people. They could have stopped it sooner, but ignored the early warnings and continued to push their pills. I suppose they are still making money even if it is being sold on the streets. Money talks I suppose...

This book was equally as disturbing as Heroin Diaries, but in a completely different way. What I did enjoy about the book is that is was written in a fair and journalistic manner. Well, it was as unbiased as it could be considering that Purdue Pharma refused to participate of even respond to the author's questions.

It is an insightful look into the business of pills and the birth of an epidemic.

Addictive Reading

Dear Blog,

Sorry to have kept you waiting for my latest shenanigans, but, you see, I've been busy reading, quilting, knitting and job hunting. More on the craftiness later (like when I actually finish a project). I have, however, finished a book recently and started another.

Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx. Why did I pick it up? Honestly, JR left it on the couch and I picked it up during Todd's turn at wii Bowling (I won btw...). 24- hours later, I was done. A rock star strung out on heroin and freebasing coke doesn't have a lot of big words.

Nikki Sixx kept a diary from Christmas 1986 to Christmas 1987 - while he was writing, recording and touring for the Girls Girls Girls album. It is an honest, disturbing and twisted account of his world at the time - a dark look into the mind of an addict. The entries of his diary are punctuated with his reflections of the incident as well as the commentary of the people in his life at the time.

As fascinating as it is in and of itself, I think it is an essential piece of literature (yes - I really do mean literature) for anyone who knows, loves or interacts with an addict. It will open your eyes to the mind of the addict.

Now, I'm reading Pain Killer: A "Wonder" Drug's Trail of Addiction and Death by Barry Meier. The story of OxyContin. notice a theme?

Tubular

so, after about a year of deliberation, queuing and un-queueing and debating yarns and fibers, I have finally cast on Tubey. I decided on Wool-Ease (it was on sale) though I am considering future versions in cashmere and cotton.

The Wool Ease is a worsted weight and the pattern calls for Aran weight. I ended up going down to US 4 & 5 to get a fabric that I like - so I am knitting to my measurements as opposed to following the pattern size specifically. I've got the back and about 2/3 of one sleeve done.


Colin helped with the photoshoot....

TGIF- 2008 in review

Since the year went out flipping me the bird on the way, it is tough for me to look through all of the crap to see all of the things that I am grateful for and they are there...

• friends old an new
• pleasant surprises
• seeing old friends in new ways
• taking a walk on the "wild side"
• turning 33
• my beautiful boys
• having everything we NEED
• knowing what we NEED
• tea - and the "tea fairy" who leaves me a fresh pot every morning
• being appreciated, worshiped and adored
• clarity of mind
• strength of character
• talent
• generosity
• beating up "bob" and hip tosses
• the ability to help - and to accept help.

mostly.. I am not only gateful, but blessed to have the man that I married back. I missed him.

weekend in review

One of my FAVORITE Christmas gifts was a copy of Kate Jacobs' novel The Friday Night Knitting Club. I absolutely devoured this book in about 48 hours. I hate when I do that. I really enjoy a book and get sucked into it. I can't put it down. then... It is over too fast. sigh...

I enjoyed every page. There were some plot twist that I was SURE I had it all figured out, but, nope.. we were off on another path.

wonderfully written. well paced and the plot just seems to fly off the needles.

yes, there is the "K" word in the title and yes, there is yarn on the cover. BUT this is not just a book for knitters. This "club" could just as easily have been quilters or a book club or any other hobby group. we knitters know that we are an ecelctic group, but this book really shows the muggles how diverse we really are.

As much as I loved it, I'll not be putting it in hubby's "must read" stack (aka the bathroom book case) - and he is a knitter (as of last night)! This is a good book for anyone who enjoys a good "chik flick" or "chick lit". My copy also included a discussion guide in the back - presumably for book club use.

Tea time review

The boys got a lot of really cool stuff from Santa (including the Wii!) but the #1 hit was from Gradma. I saw it in a magazine and decided the boys HAD to have it - only to find out she had already bought it. glad one of us did... because they LOVE it!


It is a tea set from http://www.greentoys.com/ serioulsy COOL toys! nice big teapot and good sized cups. It even has a creamer, sugar bowl and spoons! The best part? It is made right here in the US out out 100% recycled milk bottles collected curbside. It is also apporved by the FDA for food contact.

LOVE it! great toy. environmentally friendly and safe!

next post - book review - Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

I need to be more specific

In my list of grattitudes, I included "long delicous kisses". well, I was met with a bag of Hershey Kisses shortly after I wrote that. not what I had in mind, but yummy none the less.

My Christmas list and other desires

in case you were wondering...

• sock blanks and dyes from Knit Picks
• 32" - 2.25mm Harmony circular needle
• luscious fiber and yarn
• Ladybug wheel (a girl can dream, can't she?)
• a fabulous wardrobe
• Perfume from hubby
• new everday dinner dishes from hubby
• new doors
• peace, health and calm in my home
• a hot cup of tea and a chocolate cuppycake.
• more of Grandma's rasin bread.
• new toys (I cant wait to see what I'm getting in my swaps!)
• wii fit (assuming Santa brings the family a Wii - and I hear he is!)
• long delicous kisses
• passion
• attention
• strength (I'm runnung a bit low right now..)
• a Manwich meal
• iTunes gift cards
• sleeping in
• an ear and a shoulder
• a decadant dinner out with no kids and cloth napkins
• more iBras
• new contacts (yeah.. I know.. I need to drag my ass to the eye dr.. 'cause I do'nt have enough dr appts already..)
• new "jewlery"
• lunch.

TGIF 12/5/08

tough week this week...

• a ride to the train station on an icy morning.
• patience
• my pretty pink wraps
• receiving comfort by giving it
• friends who really listen
• reassurance from Katy
• perfect EKGs
• subs
• being positive - and doing positive things - even if it all seems to hard at the time.
• long talks and car rides
• hockey tickets
• hip toss on ice (I was impressed!)
• my new jersey!

"Goin' to a Party"

I had a roommate at RPI who collected Eeyore. She had one talking one who said "Goin' to a party.." when you pushed a button. I don't know if hers was defective, haunted or possessed, but it would randomly talk to me when he and I were alone in the room... creepy. It is a good thing I liked my roomie so much or Eeyore might have had an unfortunate accident in teh basement of the JEC... (that is where we CivE's kept all of our toys tools for breaking shit. Fun place!)

Anyway... I'm feeling a bit like Eeyore these days. I'm feeling like the Universe has taken a big crap on my life and my house. It is hard to remain optomisitic in the middle of a shit storm. Seems like the only thing that makes me smile these days are my kids - but they get me aggrivated too...

This is the part of this post that I was going to list all of the crap that has happened to us in the last month. I deleted it. Some of it is information that really isn't mine to publicize, but, mostly i don't want to focus any mor eenergy than I need to on it.

What really sucks is that I have little to no control over ANY of it. mostly, I just need to sit and wait it out. I hate that! I can't just do nothing! So, I've decided to crank up the TSO, put away the Halloween decorations (no- not joking) and get ready for Santa because he WILL be here before we know it! I hear Wii may be having a very nice Christmas....

Ryan's B-day and PDK (aka KIP)

Yesterday, Ryan turned 6. 6??? 6!!!! I can hardly believe it!!!

He's had a hard time adjusting to the ups and downs and insecurity of the last few weeks. Homecoming was off to a bumpy start. His birthday gift from mom and dad was never more needed than this week.

My kids have too much stuff. I did laundry yesterday - their dressers are bursting. They have SO many toys that they don't even know what they have or where it is. Bookshelves overflow into piles on the floor. They have bins of craft supplies that don't even close. With Christmas right around the corner, the last thing we want to do is fill our house up with MORE crap that will take up space and be unappreciated. what to do?

Ryan is a hockey fan (and a hockey player!) so we took him to a Sound Tigers (Islanders) game. it happened that the closest game to his b-day was Friday night against the Wolfpack (Rangers) - always a good game. Even better? the Kids' Club (which he is a member) had an open skate before the game! He got to skate on the ice at the Arena. How cool was that? it was his first time on skates this season and he fell a lot, but he just kept getting right back up! even the security guard was impressed! Mommy was proud!



(I insisted on the helmet - the pads were his idea!)

During the game, he had a great time wearing his new jersey, eating his "fluffies" and watching the game. He really got into it!



At one point the camera man came up into our section in the stands (110 - bar stool section) and put him up on the big screen! he loved hamming it up! Then, he panned up from Ryan to the ice and caught this shot



yes.. I knit while I watch hockey! Really.. this can't surprise you.